Position-governing means for load-retaining stakes



PATENTBD JAN. 5, 1904.

No. 748,699; W. M. CAIN.

POSITION GOVERNING MEANS FOR LOAD RETAINING STAKES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.- 1903- H0 MODEL.

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INVEN TOR.

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- UNITED STATES Patented January 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MARTIN CAIN, OF CARLTON, MINNESOTA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 748,699, dated January 5, 1904.

Application filed January 19, 1903. Serial No. 139.496. (No model.)

To all whorrt it flea/y concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MARTIN CAIN, acitizen of the United States,residing at Carlton, in the county of Carlton and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Position-Governing Means for LoadRetaining Stakes; and I do herebydeclare the following-to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to position-governing means for load-retaining stakes for vehicles or other load-bearing structures, and particularly for platform and logging cars, and has for its object the provision of simple, cheap, and effective means for securing a looselyattached side.stake in a vertical position, which means may be easily operated from a position of safety to release said stake from such position.

It consists, in combination with avehicle or other load-supporting structure, of a loosely attached side stake for supporting the load, a bracket secured to said structure at one side of said stake, a strap loosely secured to said bracket adapted in operative position to pass on the outer side of said stake to the opposite side thereof, means for securing said strap in operative position and adapted to be operated to release said strap.

It also consists of certain other construc- -tions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of one of the sills ofa platform-car, showing my invention in load-retaining position attached thereto. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, showing said invention in load-releasing position.

Horizontally-curved plates 7, adapted to partly encircle said stake to prevent splitting the same, are preferably interposed between said U-shaped strap and said stake and are secured to said stake by the same bolts which secure the U-strap thereto, or by any other or additional desirable means. In order to secure said stake in a vertical position, I provide a bracket, preferably consisting of an eyebolt 8, positioned at one side of said stake and secured in any suitable manner to said car at or near the upper edge of said sill, to which bracket is loosely secured a jointed strap, preferably consisting of a U-shaped member 9, projected at its bend through the eye of said bracket and itself having an eye formed at each end,which strap further consists of a second member 10, pivoted at one end to the first said member in any suitable manner, as by a bolt 11, and having an angular extension or hook 12 formed upon its opposite end, the construction being such that said strap is adapted in operative position to partly encircle said stake. Said strap may, within the scope of my invention, be retained in operative position by any suitable and convenient means, which may be controlled from the end or opposite side of said car; but I preferably provide for this purpose a bracket secured to the platform of said car upon the opposite side of said stake from said bracket 8, which third said bracket preferably consists of a strap 13, secured at one end to said platform by bolts 14 and projecting slightly beyond the edge of said car and having an eye formed in its outer end, in which eye is loosely secured the upper end of a vertically-arranged lever 15, having an eye formed in its said upper end adapted to engage the eye of said strap 13 and having a hook formed upon its lower end, as at 16. An operating-rod, preferably consisting of tubular portions 17 and 18 and a solid portion 19, is journaled in any suitable'bearings, as eyebolts20, projecting from said sill, said solid portion 19 being semicylindrical at its central portion, whereby it is adapted in one position to permit said hook 16 to pass over it and in another position to engage said hook. A controlling-lever 21 is pivoted to said red at one end thereof, which lever may be locked against movement by any suitable means, which means preferably consists of a bracket 22, having upper and lower lips formed thereon, between which lips the free end of said lever may be inserted. is then projected downwardly through apertures in said lips outwardly of said lever to prevent the accidental escape of said lever therefrom. A pin 24 is preferably driven into said stake to support the center of said strap.

While I have described one embodiment of my'invention, it is obvious that within its scope it may be modified in minor details, and especially may said brackets or eyebolts be modified in order to adapt them for attachment to a transverse sill or bolster, as is necessary in certain types of cars, at the ends of which transverse bolsters said stakes may, if desired, be positioned.

In operation said stake is raised to a vertical position and said strap is passed in front of it. The lever 15 is then adjusted in front of the angular extension 12 of said strap and the hook at the lower end of said lever is passed over the reduced portion of the member 19 of said rod. Said rod is then rotated sufficiently to engage said hook, and the lever 21 is then looked in said bracket 22. When it is desired to release the load, said lever is disengaged from said bracket 22 and said rod is rotated sufficiently to release the lower end of said lever 15, which thereupon swings upwardly, releasing the free end of said member 10, which, with said member 9, swings outward and downward to release said stake and avoid the falling load. The side pressure of the load forces said stake radially outward and downward and the load follows. After said member 10 is released by said lever 15 said lever also swings downward and avoids the falling load. It will be observed that the danger of my construction being broken in any part by the falling load is very remote and that it is very simple and comparatively cheap and if broken in any part'is capable of easy repair with the facilities usually obtainable at logging-camps.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In position-governing means for load-retaining stakes, the combination with a loadbearing structure, provided with apivotallyconnected side stake, of a bracket secured to said structure at one side of said stake, a strap, loosely secured to said bracket and comprising a plural number of members pivotally connected together and adapted to pass outwardly partly around said stake, and provided at its free end with an angular extension, or hook portion, means adapted, in operative position, to engage said hook portion and,in retracted position, to release the same, and means for controlling said engaging means, substantially as described.

2. In position-governing means for load-re- A pin 23 taining stakes, the combination with a vehicle, provided with a load retaining stake loosely secured at its lower end thereto, of a bracket secured to said structure and extending therefrom at one side of said stake, a strap loosely connected to said bracket and adapted, in operative position, to pass outwardly partly around said stake, to retain the same in vertical position, and, in retracted position, to depend from said bracket a second bracket secured to said structure at the opposite side of said stake, a lever loosely secured to the second said bracket and adapted, in operative position, to engage the free end of said strap, and means for securing the said lever in operative position, and adapted to be operated to release said lever therefrom, substantially as described.

In position-governing means for load-retaining stakes, the combination with a loadbearing structure provided with a side stake loosely attached thereto, of a jointed strap loosely secured to said structure at one side of said stake and adapted to extend outwardly partly around said stake, a lever loosely attached to said structure on the opposite side of said stake and adapted, in operative position, to engage the free end of said strap, and having an angular extension or hook formed upon its free end, a rod journaled in suitable supports on said structure and having a slot formed therein whereby said rod is adapted, in one rotated position, to permit the lower end of said lever to pass across it, through said slot, and, in another rotated position, is adapted to engage the lower end of said lever, means for operating and controlling said rod, substantially as described.

4:. In position-governing means for load-retaining stakes, the combination with a loadbearing structure provided with a bracket secured to the side thereof and having a forwardly-projecting eye or loop formed therein, of a stakeloosely mounted upon said bracket, a U-shaped strap secured to the lower end of said stake, and loosely engaging the eye or loop of said bracket, curved straps or plates interposed between the perpendiculars of said strap and said stake and secured to said stake and adapted to partly encircle said stake to preventsplitting of the same, means for securing said stake in a vertical position and adapted to be operated to release said stake from said vertical position, and means for operating and controlling said securing means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MARTIN CAIN.

Witnesses: 7

WELLINGTON M. BLEWETT, JAMES '1. WATSON. 

